Are you a Supply Chain Abdicates?
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Big word, I know. But here is the definition:
v. ab·di·cat·ed, ab·di·cat·ing, ab·di·cates To relinquish (power or responsibility) formally.
Perhaps it isn’t a formal release of authority but most Supply Chain departments appear to informally relinquish responsibility for their Supply Chain. If you don’t have control of the resources, inventory and processes of your Supply Chain you also may unwittingly be abdicating power and inflicting unnecessary cost and risk to your company. Read More→
With all this manure is there a pony in here somewhere?
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If you are a consultant, be prepared to be caste in an unfavorable light. Not by me or this blog, but by this presentation. Compiled by industry masters (tongue in cheek), you just know this is making its rounds at your company and/or potential clients. Here is the link to the slide share presentation, followed by my rather rude & coarse assessment of the effort. I am an optimist by nature, but there isn’t a pony to be found anywhere.
The Seven S’s of Supply Chain
By · CommentsRecently, Constellation Research (http://www.constellationrg.com/) began a study on the Supply Chain. They have identified 7 competitive elements of the Supply Chain and they all start with the letter ‘S’. The opportunities identified are generally long standing but unachieved. All told, I think Constellation Research and the study’s author Jeff Ashcroft have provided a very strong framework for companies to lay out the long-term strategy of their Supply Chain. Read More→
How UAV’s Can Save the Supply Chain
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For years the military has successfully used of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. Initially for reconnaissance they are now armed and dangerous. The ‘pilot’ is safely ensconced in a military facility hundreds if not thousands of miles away from the war theater. They operate at a fraction of the cost of conventional military, reduce loss of life to the pilot(s) and seem to deliver tremendous results. Bad guys have been discovered on their roof top gardens enjoying an evening sky and suddenly…kablam…daisies everywhere.
Process versus Product Differentiation
By · CommentsThe Times They are a Changin’
In the past 10+ years business has seen a quiet shift that may topple many companies that fail to recognize the change. For decades companies competed successfully on the features and innovations of their products versus their competition. This required large investments into R&D and marketing. If the product was successful, companies found themselves struggling to keep up with the demand. Cash was flowing in on new product sales and it was an all-out scramble to get the product manufactured and shipped.
Enterprise Agility Requires New Approach
By · CommentsA recent report by Constellation Research (http://www.constellationrg.com/) principal analyst and CEO Ray Wang finds:
“With the average Global 2000 ERP deployment nearing 11.5 years in service, ERP customers face a significant challenge with updating their existing investments http://www.asugnews.com/2011/03/28/enterprises-want-innovation-but-cant-quit-their-legacy-apps/).
Installed pre-Y2K, users have attempted to work around the best practices of the ‘90s while seeking innovation and application agility.”
First, there were no best practices of the ‘90s. That isn’t some type of dig on the ‘90s. Things were fine in the ‘90s. But the applications Ray is referring to were designed and architected in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s and then sold like hot cakes through the balance of that decade due to the Y2K scare. The term, Best Practices, was purely marketing blather. It was a way to smooth over the moments when a customer learned how the software vendor’s application performed a specific function.
Why Enterprise Software Sucks
By · CommentsRay Wang from Constellation Research (http://www.constellationrg.com/) provides an excellent overview as to why Enterprise Software Sucks!
You may not have 44 minutes so just watch the first 4 minutes and you will see why ERP isn’t an appropriate tool to sustain your business. It is an important part of your business; much like the foundation of a building. But it is out of date in the areas of your business where workers, the transactions they perform and the value they deliver no longer align with what your company needs.
Read More→
Rise of the Supply Chain Apps
By · CommentsJust a little fun! Presented like a Movie Preview including the dramatic voice over. Hope it makes you smile as you conduct your own war to dominate your market.
How to use Free Supply Chain Apps
By · CommentsA simple video introducing you to our Free Supply Chain Apps. The video demonstrates their use with simple explanations AND includes an overview of the Formatted version available for subscription.
Change and the Supply Chainge
By · CommentsThat isn’t a typo. Business is about change. Change is constant, pervasive and permanent. Nowhere is this more evident than in the Supply Chain of a business….therefore, Supply Chainge. We’ve talked before about the 64 Transactions of a Supply Chain, the need for Rebels & Innovators and Enterprise 2.0. Today we will talk about Chainge.
So, where does Change come from?